There was a time when skateboarders were uncool for being themselves. They’d get teased, bullied, or even worse, assaulted by peers at school. Aside from those experiences at school, and elsewhere, a formal education would always seem to get in the way of they really wanted to do: Go Skate!
Now firmly in 2017, skateboarding is a televised event. It’s the kind of thing that begets attentions from the general public, and although it still receives backlash from society at large, it is a confirmed sport in the Olympic Games for the first time three years in Tokyo, Japan. Whether people like it or not, skateboarding isn’t the derelict activity it used to be. It’s not a taboo hobby but rather one of the hottest current trends. Yet, an irreverence for educational institutions prevails. The attitude that school is necessary is widely held amongst several subcultures, including skateboarding.
But why has skateboarding not acknowledged the opportunity present in a college education? Many professional skateboarders have gone to college and been better of because of it. There are higher education institutions that back their skateboarders by paying for trips and supporting their local events. Schools are helping skaters give back to their communities and explore the world of concrete insanity that we all want to experience more of.
The trend is there, and the support is growing, but scholarships were the missing link. Hopefully, college scholarships for skaters will help them come around to consider it as an option. Not every skater is going to achieve success with their talent alone. Many move on to figure out life after skating with no other work experience. Even during a skate career, time in a college or university can help one approach opportunity in a new or even better way. And for the rest of us that absolutely love skating but aren’t going pro anytime soon, a college education is both a useful stepping stone and a hugely influential life experience.
Whether it’s studying about your passion, making friends in a new context, or moving your whole life to a new and more exciting place, going to college is almost always an incredible stepping stone in one’s life journey. Join us by applying or telling a friend.
College Skateboarding showed up, and it’s here to stay.
Keep on Study Rolling.